2 Large Vehicle Rallies Stopped On Long Island Over Weekend: Police

LONG ISLAND, NY — It was like "The Fast and the Furious" but not.

An attempted street takeover involving around 40 vehicles, and a large vehicle rally were stopped dead in their tracks over the weekend on Long Island on Saturday night, police said.

In the first incident, officers from the 3rd Precinct in Nassau were on routine patrol when they stumbled upon "a large-scale illegal vehicle rally" and "possible street takeover" near a mixed-use complex on Stewart Avenue in East Garden City at around 9:37 p.m., according to police.

Nassau police's Department Bureau of Special Operations, Aviation Unit, Criminal Intelligence Rapid Response Team, and Emergency Service Unit all responded to the scene, police said.

Thirty-one summonses were issued, two vehicles were impounded, and one arrest was made, according to police.

Daniel Tiburcio, 25, of Wantagh was charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument and vehicle and traffic law violations.

More than 40 vehicles were involved in a street takeover in the parking lot of the Ronkonkoma Long Island Railroad station, where two pick-up trucks were doing donuts around other vehicles and bystanders at around 10:15 p.m. on Saturday, according to Suffolk police.

The department's Street Takeover Task Force, as well as criminal intelligence officers from all seven precincts descended on the parking lot blocking all exits, police said, adding that the driver of one of the pick-up trucks, a 19-year-old man from Ronkonkoma, was cited for performing a sideshow and engaging in stunt behavior.

He was also issued three additional traffic tickets and his 2002 Dodge Ram was impounded, police said.

Jason Merino, 24, of Medford, was arrested and charged with first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation under Angelica’s Law for driving with 35 suspensions on 9 dates, and his vehicle, a 2006 Honda sedan was impounded, police said.

Merino will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip at a later date.

Tiburcio pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance at his arraignment Sunday at First District Court in Hempstead, online court records show. It was not immediately clear if he has legal representation, as no attorney was listed in his case file.